International Panda Day: Adorable National Treasure, Captivating the World

October 27, 2024, marks the 8th International Panda Day. The giant panda, known as a “living fossil” and a “national treasure of China,” has existed on Earth for at least 8 million years. It is classified as a first-level protected animal in China and serves as an important flagship species for international biodiversity conservation. Through “panda diplomacy,” China has shared giant pandas with other countries, endearing them to people around the world with their charming appearance.

Due to human activities, giant pandas were once extensively captured, and their habitats were destroyed and polluted, leading to a dramatic decline in their numbers. Limited by food availability and reproductive capacity, wild giant pandas were on the brink of extinction around 1980.

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In response, the Chinese government launched a giant panda and habitat protection program in the 1990s, gradually strengthening conservation efforts. Today, these efforts have shown significant results. According to data released earlier this year by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the wild panda population has increased from about 1,100 in the 1980s to nearly 1,900 today, while the number of captive pandas worldwide has reached 728. The protected area of panda habitats has expanded from 1.39 million hectares to 2.58 million hectares, and their threat status has improved from endangered to vulnerable.

In 2017, the World Wildlife Fund China initiated the establishment of International Panda Day on October 27 each year, aiming to raise awareness and support for other species and conservation efforts, just as we care for giant pandas.

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The giant panda, scientifically known as Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is a rare species endemic to China. It belongs to the phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Ursidae, subfamily Ailuropodinae, and genus Ailuropoda. There are only two subspecies of giant pandas. In 2016, the giant panda was listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It was officially designated as a first-level protected animal in China in 1988 and became a true “national treasure” after the 1990 Asian Games. In 1984, it was included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).